Learn Hardcore Dutch: Anna laat haar boek in het park liggen.

Anna laat haar boek in het park liggen uses laten (3rd-person singular laat) plus another infinitive (liggen) to form a catenative/causative construction. Here, laat liggen literally means “lets lie” or “has/lets something remain lying,” so the idea is “Anna lets her book lie in the park.”

Why is liggen used instead of leggen?

Dutch distinguishes between liggen (to lie, i.e. be in a horizontal position) and leggen (to lay or place something somewhere). Since the sentence describes the book’s state of lying in the park (not Anna actively placing it there right now), liggen is the correct choice.

Why does liggen appear at the end of the sentence?

In Dutch, when you have a main finite verb (laat) and one or more non-finite verbs (liggen), the non-finite verbs form a cluster at the end of the clause. This is typical for catenative verbs (like laten, gaan, blijven): Subject + finite verb + objects/adverbials + non-finite verb(s).

What role does haar play here? How do we know it’s a possessive adjective?

Haar is the possessive adjective “her.” It directly precedes the noun boek, modifying it. If it were the object pronoun “her,” it would replace a noun (e.g. “I see her” = ik zie haar). Here, because it attaches to boek, it means “her book.”

Why is it in het park and not op het park or without an article?

For a general location inside an open space like a park, Dutch uses in. Park is a neuter noun requiring the definite article het for “the park.” You can only drop the article in set expressions or with proper names (e.g., Park Sonsbeek), but not in this generic context.

How would you translate this sentence into English both literally and naturally?

Literally you get “Anna lets her book lie in the park.” A natural English translation is “Anna leaves her book in the park.” Note that Dutch present tense (laat) can correspond to English simple present here.

How do you form the past tense of laten liggen in this sentence?

You replace laat with the past tense liet:
Anna liet haar boek in het park liggen.
Everything else stays in the same order; liet is the 3rd-person singular past of laten.

What’s the difference in nuance between laten liggen and the separable verb achterlaten?

Both can mean “leave behind,” but:
• laten liggen focuses on letting something remain where it is (the book continues to lie there).
• achterlaten (a separable verb) emphasizes abandoning something.
In present you’d say Anna laat haar boek in het park achter. Here laat is 2nd, the object is in the middle, and the particle achter moves to the end.